Dupree is the key to the Steelers rattling Tom Brady
Bud Dupree is an enigma. An athletically gifted linebacker who dropped into the Steelers lap during the draft several years ago, the former first-round pick missed over half of a season last year, including the Steelers home tilt with the Patriots in Week 7.
Dupree then returned for seven games to finish the 2016 season with 4.5 sacks. He appeared to be a load to handle and the future was bright.
Fast forward to 2017 and Dupree is back where he was last season, with five total sacks… but in 12 games. Many people feel the linebacker has regressed while others, myself included, believe there’s more to it than simply statistics. Bud Dupree is being asked to do things that outside linebackers hadn’t done in the Steelers 3-4 scheme before, or at least, as much as before. He drops into coverage often and flies around the field, much like his counterpart T.J. Watt.
Yet, one of the things noticed most is that despite having the fourth-most sacks on the team, Dupree doesn’t appear to be a quarterback killer. That’s not exactly why I feel he could be a weak link this Sunday when the Steelers face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots: it’s that I think Dupree has to do more than what fans expect him to, in regard to sacking opposing quarterbacks.
Instead, Dupree needs to be disruptive in run and pass coverage rather than pass rushing. While he could get to Brady, Pittsburgh’s defense has relied on sending less rather than more all season, which has confused the opposition. With Dupree in pass coverage, he must contain receivers out of the backfield, such as Dion Lewis, James White, and Rex Burkhead, who are the bread and butter of the Patriots passing attack.
It’s also a weakness of the Steelers, who are now without inside linebacker Ryan Shazier, a lightning fast player who was (and still is) leading the team in tackles before being placed on IR. His replacements aren’t nearly as capable of seeking and destroying those running backs coming out for passes.
But there’s more. Dupree must also set the edge and help contain outside runs by those same backs, as those style of plays frequently hurt the Steelers over the last few weeks. Even with Shazier, the Green Bay Packers found success with their zone blocking scheme. Without him, the Bengals were able to ride Joe Mixon and Giovanni Bernard for 111 rushing yards, and Ravens RB Alex Collins exceeded that mark with 120 yards of his own on the ground.
Therefore this week’s choice for a potential weak link is Bud Dupree. It’s not to say he isn’t capable of rising to the task, but depending on the game plan, he may be asked to do any of the three things mentioned: stop the run, cover receivers, and get to the quarterback.
Should he fall short of the mark doing any of those tasks, you can bet money that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will notice… and exploit that weakness.
